Caring for African Violets

African Violets are one of the easiest blooming houseplants to grow. They thrive in the heat of our homes and will bloom in artificial light. They come in a wide range of colors and the dainty flowers will brighten the darkest days. For those who love collecting, this is an ideal plant as there are so many different varieties.

African Violets are native to Africa, as the name suggests. They grow on the floor of the jungle, where light is filtered, the air is warm and moist and the soil full of organic matter. They have been in human cultivation for hundreds of years, and 10,000 registered varieties. and probably as many unregistered varieties, have been developed.

Most African Violets have rounded green leaves with a long stem that connects them to the plant base or crown. However there are varieties that have leaves with wavy or ruffled edges, curled edges, elongated shapes and even some shaped like holly leaves with deep indentations. Leaves can be edged or splotched with white, light green, pink, red or copper.

African violet leaves are covered with tiny hairs. Plant size ranges from as much as a foot across to tiny plants that will grow in a teacup.

The original African Violet flower had five flat petals. Now there are semi-double, double, ruffled and other odd-shaped flowers. Flower color ranges from deep blue to purples, reds and pinks, whites, creamy yellow and peach. Many flowers are a combination of colors, with edges, splotches or bands of colors on a petal.

Growing African Violets
Most gardeners will start with small plants. African Violets can be started from seeds, but the seed is dust-like and a little tricky to germinate. African Violets are easily started from leaf cuttings. A whole leaf and its long stem can be detached from the plant and rooted in damp vermiculite or even water. The base of the leaf should not touch the vermiculite or water or it will rot.

African Violets have fine, shallow roots. They need to be a little potbound to bloom well, so don't be in a rush to repot your plant. Pots that are shallow and wider than they are tall work well for African Violets.

Fill the pot with a special African Violet soil or add peat and vermiculite to regular potting soil to make a light, well draining mix. All pots should drain rapidly; African Violets will rot if the roots remain soggy. Although they like well-drained soil, they don't like it to become too dry. The soil should be kept evenly moist. Letting the soil get very dry between waterings is not recommended.

Water your African Violet with room-temperature water. Try not to get any water on the leaves if you water from above. It will cause ugly spots on them. Don't use water that comes through a water softener, as it contains a lot of salts.

African Violets require frequent fertilization to bloom well. You can use the little spikes that go in the soil and dissolve slowly or water once a week with a houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength. Plants will bloom on and off all year if happy.

Because they are fertilized more than other houseplants, care should be taken to see that salts from the fertilizer don't build up in the soil. You will notice a crusty white or yellow deposit on top of the soil and on the sides of clay pots from mineral buildup. The plant's leaves may take on a reddish tint. When you see salt buildup, you must leach the soil. That means you will pour lots of room temperature water on the pot, allowing it to drain away from the plant, repeating several times. You could also repot in fresh soil.

African Violets need bright light to bloom, although direct sunlight in a south or west window will scorch them and blooming will stop. Set them in a north or east window or a few feet away from other windows. African Violets will also survive and bloom quite well in artificial light if it is bright enough. They must have eight hours of darkness, however, or they will quit blooming.

African Violets need warm rooms above 65 degrees and no drafts to bloom well.

If a plant is healthy, the leaves will be deep green and will be straight out or slightly drooping around the plant and pot. Leaves that are limp and flat or standing very vertical, stretching to the light and pale green, mean something is wrong.

If you notice your plant is making a trunk-like stem, you should repot it in good soil to just under the attachment of the bottom leaves. If your plant develops a side shoot or second crown, it should be removed and rooted in another pot.

For good health, dust the leaves of your African Violet from time to time with a soft paintbrush. Keep dead leaves and flowers picked off. African Violets like humidity and appreciate sitting near an aquarium or on a tray filled with stones and a little water.

Choosing Varieties
There are so many varieties, and so many of them look alike that it is difficult to decide which varieties to choose. Heavenly Halo has white flowers that appear in a ring around the plant. Green Lace is very odd, a green-white flower with lacy petals. Rebel's Dashes has deep-blue, ruffled flowers and the leaves are edged in white. Hessel has doubled, deep-pink flowers.

Find a friend who likes African Violets and the two of you can trade varieties. The plants are so easy to start form cuttings.